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Partner for Excellence
(24-06-2010)

When it comes to higher education, there is a wide range of stakeholders – the institutional management, staff and students, parents and employers, the Government, the media and the community at large. To ensure effective implementation of various higher education policies and measures, it is paramount that our stakeholders understand accurately the functions and operation of the UGC, and for the UGC to understand their views on those decisions and policies. In view of this, we attach great importance to maintaining effective stakeholder communication on issues such as resource allocation and strategic development of the sector.

Striving for Excellence

Apart from briefing the media after every UGC meeting, the UGC compiles the "Facts and Figures" publication annually to report to the public its major work, as well as relevant statistical information. This year, we have revamped the publication into a brand-new Annual Report to set out in greater detail the Committee's work in the past year. The title of the Report this year is "Partner for Excellence", which underlines our earnest desire to foster close working relationship with all our stakeholders to strategise the development of Hong Kong's higher education sector.

We fully understand the community's expectation on the openness and transparency of a public agency's operation. To deepen public understanding on the work and mission of the UGC, the Annual Report gives a fuller description of the Committee's activities in the year, such as conduct of the "Higher Education Review", internationalisation, preparation for the "3+3+4" academic reform and its progress, quality assurance work in the past year, and other major work and developments concerning research and institutions' capital works projects, etc. Through the Report, we hope the public would recognise the UGC's effort in cultivating collaboration among institutions and with various stakeholders in the community, as well as in pursuing excellence in Hong Kong's higher education sector.

Apart from setting out key statistics of the UGC-funded institutitons, the Report also details the UGC funding mechanism, and the relevant financial reporting and monitoring requirements, so that the public can know more about how we ensure accountability and propriety in the institutions' use of public funds.

Improvements were also made to the layout of the UGC Annual Report. With plain language and graphical illustrations in the Report, we hope to facilitate readers' easy understanding about the structure and other information concerning the Committee. Copies of the Annual Report are now available at the UGC Secretariat, and its electronic version has been uploaded to the UGC website (www.ugc.edu.hk).

"UGC Blog" – an interactive platform for communication

In 2009, the UGC set up a dedicated Communications Group to advise on the Committee's public relations strategy and publicity matters. To strengthen public understanding about the UGC and enhance communication with the UGC-funded sector, apart from having regular meetings and exchanges with Heads and Council Chairman of the eight UGC-funded institutions on individual issues, we also organise consultation fora, symposia and lectures to listen to the views of the institutional management, students and the community at large. We have also set up this "UGC Blog" to provide another online communication platform for the public.

Higher education concerns every member of the society. It bears greatly on the city's competitiveness, economic prosperity and quality of life. The UGC will continue to explore different ways proactively to introduce and explain the work of the UGC to the public, to enhance communication with the community and various stakeholders, and to be their staunch Partner for Excellence.

UGC Communications Group
(Website: www.ugc.edu.hk)